Refuelable battery-powered electric vehicle

• US 7,948,207 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl Frederick Scheucher
• Original Assignee: Karl Frederick Scheucher
• Inventors: Scheucher, Karl Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIGGUSH, AARON C
• Application Number:
  US11/851,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20080053716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/150, 320/152, 320/162, 320/160, 324/427
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0455 Removal or replacement of the energy storages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/00 Electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 : for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 : Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 : Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 : Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 : arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/667 : the system being an electronic component, e.g. a CPU, an inverter or a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 : Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 : for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 : the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 : concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

The electrical vehicle energy storage system permits the electric refueling of the electric vehicle just like an automobile would be refueled with gasoline at a gas station. Circuitry on board the vehicle accessible by the electric refueling station enables the determination of the energy content of the battery module or modules returned to the electric refueling station and the owner of the vehicle is given credit for the energy remaining in the battery module or modules which have been exchanged. Selective refueling may take place for given battery modules by removing them from the battery system and charging them at home, office or factory. A process for operating an electric vehicle is also disclosed and claimed.

Claims

1. A process for operating an electric vehicle, said electric vehicle includes a plurality of battery modules, comprising:

a step for measuring, periodically, the state of charge and energy content of each battery module of said plurality of battery modules;

a step for returning one or more of said plurality of battery modules at an electric filling station and,

a step for receiving credit for each of said battery modules and said energy remaining in each of said battery modules at the time each of said battery modules is returned.

2. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a step for charging a battery module with a regenerative device on-board the electric vehicle.

3. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a step for owner-charging selected battery modules.

4. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a step for sharing energy between battery modules.

5. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 4 wherein said step for sharing energy between battery modules includes routing energy to and from said battery modules and is controlled by a controller in communication with said battery modules.

6. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a step for heating and/or cooling select battery modules.

7. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a step for leasing a battery enclosure having an unspecified number of battery modules.

8. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step for returning one or more of said plurality of battery modules includes selecting said battery modules based upon said state of charge.

9. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 8 wherein said step for returning one or more of said battery modules based upon said state of charge includes selecting said battery modules having a state of charge within a defined range of state of charge.

10. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step for receiving credit for each of said battery modules and said energy remaining in each of said battery modules at the time each of said battery modules is returned includes on-board verification enabling said electric vehicle owner to verify an energy purchase.

11. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of battery modules resides in an enclosure and said step for returning one or more of said battery modules of said plurality of battery modules includes returning said enclosure having said one or more battery modules.